How to use short kneads[2] to handle moist doughs and bake a loaf with a yeast-based preferment.The subtleties of proving[3] a loaf using a ‘biga’.How to shape a loaf[4] using a hybrid recipe.The final crucial steps[5] and putting it all together to bake a 100% sourdough loaf.

Hi, I'm new to classic sour dough recipes but 've been using Jim Lahey's no knead method of long proving time, high hydration and cooking in a pot for the last 3 or 4 months. Does leaving the the first ferment for 18 -24 hrs mean I've been making sour dough all this time? Anyway look forward to learning lots and trying new methods.

Sorry, mean't to start a new thread rather than tag onto this one. Delete as necessary.

my opinion is that if the bread taste like sourdough then it is sourdough. I'm a beginner as well, and like to cheat. I use a bread machine, and make my bread in two steps using my sourdough starter. I can let the first step rise for a long time without the taste going too sour, the second step if my house is too cold I add a little bit of active yeast to help my sourdough rise faster, if I don't my sourdough takes a longer time to rise, and my bread sometimes gets more sour tasting than I like. I'm just a beginner and only make a small loaf for myself.